How To Deal With Confusion And Find Success In Life

The path to success is a long road full of twists, turns, peaks, and valleys. While on this road, you’ll almost certainly find yourself stuck in a quagmire of confusion and be unsure of which direction to turn.

Even though you’ll feel stranded, remember that it happens to everyone; you’re not alone. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you’ll get through whatever problem you’re facing only if you persevere.

If you turn back, you’ll be giving up all the potential success you could have possibly attained had you simply stepped back and assessed your situation. When life throws you a curve ball, you should always heed these pieces of advice in order to properly deal with confusing situations.

Analyze your goals

When you started out on your journey, you most likely had a set of goals you aimed to accomplish. Of course, you were most likely incredibly eager to get on the path toward success that you might not have spent much time actually thinking these goals through.

When you hit a bump in the road, you should always check your premises before forging ahead. Ask yourself:

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– Are my goals practical?

Anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it, but once you achieve your goals, will you be able to put them to good use? Are you studying biology to become a biologist, or because you just like to learn about plants and animals?

Make sure your goals are actionable. After all, once you attain them, you’ll soon set even more goals with even higher aspirations. Make sure that the next step you take will open another door for you to walk through.

– Are my goals realistic?

Will practicing guitar three hours a day really make you world famous? By all means, follow your passion, but you should definitely have a backup plan in case your big dreams turn out to be pipe dreams.

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– Will my goals change?

This is a tough one, because it’s hard to know what your priorities will be five or 10 years down the road. When I was 18, I thought I wanted to be a teacher, and even planned on sacrificing having a family of my own in order to help other children and families who needed me.

When I met the woman who would later become my wife, that all changed. Of course, in the meantime I earned two degrees relating to education that I may or may not ever use. At least I can write, right?

Appreciate your efforts

Every time you accomplish something, you’ve improved upon the person you were the day before. Even if you’re not doing exactly what you thought you’d be doing with your life, you can appreciate the experience you gain on a daily basis.

Think about it: If you’re stuck in a job that you never saw yourself doing, but you’re doing it well enough to stay employed, you must be doing something right. And, of course, you shouldn’t just look to your job to make meaning of your life.

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Look to other aspects of your life, such as your friends, family, and hobbies to define yourself. You might not be on the path you thought you’d be on, but you certainly can consider yourself a success for accomplishing all that you have done in your life.

Try, fail, and try again

Failing at something is not a roadblock. Rather, it’s simply a bump in the road on the path to success. If you treat failure as a roadblock, you won’t get very far.

You never know how close you are to finding success, so you should always keep pushing, especially when faced with the sting of failure. Furthermore, you should redefine your failings as learning experiences.

When you fail at something, you’ve gained knowledge you didn’t have before (even if that knowledge is “Well that didn’t work!”). Take that knowledge with you when you get up to try again, and you’ll be able to attack the issue through an improved perspective.

Find a balance in life

Like I said before, you might find yourself on a path you never thought you’d be on, and you might not even want to be on. You can’t simply pause or restart your life from the last save point, to borrow a video game term. But it’s never too late to start working toward a different path.

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Think of a hobby you gave up a long time ago and pick it back up, even if it takes a little extra effort after a long day’s work. Of course, you have obligations in your life that need to be fulfilled, but you should never completely give up everything you enjoy because life got in the way.

Keep your passion alive, and you’ll find moments to enjoy every day of your life.

19 Definitions Of Success You Should Never Ignore

The late Zig Ziglar was one of the most respected modern day experts on success, motivation, and leading a balanced life. In his book Born to Win!, he argues that success cannot be defined in one sentence, but instead it is comprised of many things. One could argue that the definition depends on the individual and that one size does not fit all[1].

Here are 19 different definitions of success. Not all of these will resonate with you, but chances are at least a few of them will. Use these or find inspiration here to create your own definition of success that can be applied to your unique life.

1. Success is always doing your best.

Success can be achieved when you try your best in all aspects of everything you do, even if that doesn’t lead to big results. If you’ve done your best, you should feel proud of your efforts.

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2. Success is properly setting concrete goals.

Be realistic and concrete when setting goals. Success does not come from setting abstract goals. If you know where you’re heading, that is a success in itself, even if you don’t ultimately arrive to the planned destination.

3. Success is having a place to call home.

Home is where your heart soars. You are always successful when you can call a place home. Home doesn’t have to be a specific structure. It can be a country, a city, or even a person. If you have a place you feel comfortable and safe, you’re already achieving something great.

4. Success is understanding the difference between need and want.

If you can meet your monthly obligations and fulfill your basic needs, you are successful. Being able to identify when you absolutely need something and when you can do without it often leads to financial stability and is a great way to succeed.

5. Success is believing you can.

If you believe you can, you will succeed. Self-belief doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so if you’re able to tell yourself that you can achieve the goals in your plans, you’re doing great.

6. Success is remembering to balance work with passion.

Work without passion creates undue stress and empty achievements. Focus on what excites you. If you’re happy at your job, that’s great. However, even if you aren’t, you can balance your formal job with hobbies or volunteer work you’re passionate about.

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7. Success is taking care of your needs.

Remember to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. Self-care is essential if you want to have any meaningful impact on the world around you.

8. Success is learning that you sometimes have to say no.

Success only comes with a balanced life. Part of balance is learning to say no. Saying no doesn’t mean you are selfish; it simply means you have priorities and know what you need to give your attention to at any given time.

9. Success is knowing your life is filled with abundance.

Love, health, friends, family…life is filled with abundance. Recognizing this is an important step to feeling grateful for all life has given you. If you can feel this, you are already experiencing success.

10. Success is understanding you cannot keep what you don’t give away.

You will only succeed if you help others succeed. Learning to give instead of always take is part of creating a world we all want to live in. When you help others, you will also create an environment where others want to help you.

11. Success is overcoming fear.

Conquering a fear makes you feel invincible. Even if it’s confronting just one small fear each week, that is certainly something to feel proud of. The bigger fears will take more time, but any work you do to overcome fear will lead to success.

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12. Success is learning something new each day.

Successful people understand that learning never stops. Take time each day to converse with someone with opposing views, read an interesting article on a topic you know little about, or watch a TED talk on new research. It doesn’t take long to learn, so get started now.

13. Success is learning that losing a few battles can help you win a war.

Successful people choose their battles wisely. When you know which battles will ultimately help you achieve your goals, you will be successful.

14. Success is loving and being loved back.

Opening your heart to others is difficult and can produce fear. Having the courage to love and accept love from others is a step toward a fulfilling life and great success.

15. Success is standing your ground when you believe in something.

Successful people never give up on things they believe with all their heart. You may hold views that many people disagree with, but if you’ve done your research and know that it’s the right belief for you, you shouldn’t let it go without a fight.

16. Success is not giving up.

Perseverance creates grit, and grit achieves success. Even if it takes years to achieve a goal, persisting is key if you want success.

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17. Success is celebrating small victories.

Anytime a goal is reached or an obstacle is overcome, take time to celebrate, even if it’s something small. All goals require smaller objectives to be achieved first, so each time you complete one, take time to appreciate the work you put into it.

18. Success is never letting a disability hold you back.

Disabilities do not define a person’s success. The body and mind will compensate. Just because you can’t do absolutely everything doesn’t mean you can’t do something. Do what your body and mind allow and always push yourself. That is true success.

19. Success is understanding that you control your destiny.

Your destiny is controlled by you and you alone. Take responsibility for your actions and their consequences and you’ll find that you naturally become more successful.

The Bottom Line

Success can be defined in many ways. If you are experiencing happiness, love, or adventure in this moment, you’ve already found success. Keep it up.